Commission, insurance representatives meet

CHARLESTON - Mississippi County's group health

insurance plan is not a scam, according to the agent

responsible for setting the county up with ERISA plan.

Greg Greenwalt of Greenwalt Financial Services

answered questions during Thursday's county commission

meeting raised recently by an article warning of

fraudulent health insurance plans claiming to be ERISA

plans.

He was accompanied by company representatives Chuck

Holiman, who is responsible for most of Missouri, and

Joyce Ross of Malden, regional director.

"I don't blame you for having those concerns," said

Greenwalt. He confirmed there are companies falsely

presenting health insurance plans as ERISA plans which

"pay a few claims, then go insolvent."

Legitimate ERISA plans are governed by the federal

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,

Greenwalt said, and are legitimate means of providing

"affordable rates with decent benefits."

Greenwalt said the company made a few mistakes and had

breakdowns in communication leading to delays in

payments on claims, but the company has addressed the

problem. "The claims are being handled," said

Greenwalt.

As the agent that set the plan up for the county,

Greenwalt said he feels responsible for making sure

those covered under the county's group plan get good

service.

Holiman said they are looking into the possibility of

making an optional change to the county's plan which

would make use of a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary

Association fund to keep insurance rates "extremely

level" and eliminate the $2,000 per individual maximum

coverage for pharmaceutical drugs.

Holiman described VEBA as being "an extremely safe

program."

In other Mississippi County news:

* Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing the

Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Committee to file an

application for a grant and gave its chairman, Tom

Graham of Charleston, the authority to sign documents

for the project.

The project will include an informational center at

Wipple Park and markers for points of interest

relevant to the Lewis and Clark expedition, according

to Liz Anderson, Lewis and Clark Bicentennial

Committee member.

Anderson said the grant application must be postmarked

by Nov. 1.

Commissioners also approved the committee's use of six

columns from the old courthouse at the informational

center.

* Commissioners approved the final draft of a county

crisis procedure guide and designated the county clerk

to act as crisis manager.

The guide outlines correct responses to fire, utility

and weather emergencies among others and includes

evacuation procedures, bomb threat procedures and how

to deal with hostage situations.

Commissioners also agreed to hire Charleston Fire

Extinguisher Company to place and maintain fire

extinguishers in the computer rooms and at the county

shed.

* A bid from Doug Simmons for $290 to take down one

dogwood tree and one linden tree and trim two dogwoods

at the courthouse was accepted.

* Modifications to the exterior recreation area at the

jail were delayed by a lack of the screws due to

arrive today, according to officials.

Commissioners plan to inspect the modifications after

next week's county commission meeting.